MLB Trade Rumors confirmed it Sunday: the Athletics have claimed infielder Donovan Walton off waivers, adding another body to a roster that's been in constant motion through the deadline stretch. It's a minor transaction on paper, but these are the moves that quietly define a rebuilding club's summer.
MLB Trade Rumors broke the news that Oakland claimed Walton off waivers.
Walton, 32, is the definition of a depth piece who's bounced around. Seattle drafted him in the 5th round back in 2016 out of Oklahoma State, and he debuted with the Mariners in 2019 before a 2022 trade sent him to the Giants for pitcher Prelander Berroa. He's also had stops with the Phillies and, most recently, the Angels, giving him big-league time with four different organizations.
This particular chapter started with the Angels designating Walton for assignment last week. He'd signed a minor league deal with Los Angeles in the offseason, hit .282/.429/.481 in Triple-A, and earned a call-up in May — only to lose his roster spot once Mike Trout returned from the injured list. That's the kind of numbers game that defines life as a fringe MLB infielder.
For Oakland, this is standard operating procedure. The Athletics have leaned hard on waiver claims and minor league signings to churn their roster while the big-picture rebuild plays out, and a versatile infielder with a track record of hitting well against Triple-A pitching is a low-cost, low-risk add. Walton won't move the needle on the standings, but he gives the A's another option up the middle as the trade deadline stretch shakes out rosters across the league.
Don't expect fireworks here — this is roster-management, not a blockbuster. But for a team like Oakland that's always scanning the wire for value, claiming a guy who was raking in Triple-A a month ago is exactly the kind of quiet, sensible pickup that adds up over a long season.